Drag Race UK vs The World’s Jujubee reacts to receiving ‘racist comments from queer people’
Exclusive: Jujubee spills the tea on her time in the werkroom to Attitude and Tia Kofi on Tea Time in association with Taimi.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: BBC
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World‘s Jujubee has opened up about some of the racist comments she says she gets from queer fans of the show.
The US queen, who made her fourth entry into a Drag Race werkroom in the international series, says she is used to getting homophobic comments from homophobic people, but now also has to face “racist comments from queer people”.
Speaking to Tia Kofi and Attitude on Tea Time in association with Taimi, the LGBTQ dating, and social network app, Jujubee also shares her thoughts on the game’s lipstick format.
Approaching the subject of the fandom, Tia asks Jujubee if she’s experienced any racism in people’s critiques, to which Jujubee replies: “Back in the day I used to have to navigate homophobic comments from homophobic people, but now I’m navigating racist comments from queer people – the same queer people who want to be loved.”
Jujubee goes on to expain that she knows the issue is the trolls’ own issues rather anything to do with her.
She says: “When I was a kid, I said some shit, that I would never say, right? So, I’m just going to allow people to be people. And hopefully, the way I respond or react helps them understand that it’s them, you know?
“People are only able to meet us as deeply as they’ve met themselves. So, it’s you know, and that’s how we kind of have to look at it.
“Like Ru says, whatever people say about you it’s none of your business. It’s really true, you know?”
“Like Ru says, whatever people say about you it’s none of your business. It’s really true, you know?”
Asked about the Drg Race UK vs The World’s lipstick eliminations, which have led to some wild and truly shocking gags (we still hear Pangina’s pained sobs when we close our eyes!) Jujubee reasons that it is still a fair format.
On those who say it isn’t a fair method, Jujubee says that’s “insane” as the top two queens still have to win a lip-sync in order to send someone home.
“They still need enough talent to win that, right? Or they need to be on their game in that moment to win that. And then, it’s that decision.”
Understanding why people think it is unfair, Juju confirms that she may have been playing just a little strategically this series by convincing people she wasn’t as much of a threat. While it wasn’t her strategy from the get-go, she saw a chance and “leaned into it”.
Fairplay!
The series finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World will be on BBC Three and Player from 9 pm on Tuesday 8 March.